The Art of Gardening

HOST: Gillian MacCormack - Join Gillian bi-monthly for tours of Townshippers’ gardens, historical reflection
on the art of gardening and gardens, and practical advise from local plants people.

Episode #I – Hosted by Gillian MacCormack - this launch episode opens a new series of hour-long, bi-monthly programs on gardens and gardening through the ages from aesthetic, historical, reflective and practical perspectives. There is a special focus on the gardens of the Eastern Townships region of Quebec ..with garden tours guided by their owners. This week, Gillian visits a small, village cottage garden in Knowlton. Each episode also features – “Talking Gardens” with North Hatley garden designer and blogger, Pat Webster, and “Ask the Gardener/or/Plantsperson”…. this week - local gardener, Sue Scott has some practical advice on how to extend the blooming period of our gardens into autumn.

Episode #II – Theme of Episode II is the history of garden development in the Eastern Townships – from its early 19th century developments - to the renowned, Sutton garden of one of its recognized pioneers – Evelyn Lambert. Gillian visits – albeit virtually this time – a wonderful and extensively landscaped garden in Bolton Centre; in Talking Gardens - Pat Webster muses about plants that have plenty to tell us – if we will only listen; in Ask the Gardener - local Sutton expert - Robert Leclerc makes recommendations on the use of fertilizers and compost; and there will be a report on a myth about the so-called beneficial attributes of root boosters.

Episode #III – Theme of Episode III is the role of gardens in art from time immemorial, and in Talking Gardens, Pat Webster will reflect on the attractions of placing art in gardens; Gillian will visit an intriguing landscape park-like garden in Abercorn complete with a “folly” and extensive use of massive rocks – and in Ask the Plantsperson – we meet a young Townshipper who is part of a growing movement towards ethical floristry at her recently opened Rose Fluo boutique in Waterloo.

Episode #IV – Theme of Episode IV is the great landscape park gardens of 18th century England, and a 21st century version which we will visit right here in the Eastern Townships; Pat Webster in “Talking Gardens” will explore the intriguing issue of what the “art of gardening” means from a garden’s perspective; and a local professional gardener and florist is going to talk about the many new long-flowering perennials which we should consider planting in order to extend the life of our summer gardens.

Episode #V: Tuesday - August 10, (repeated Friday - August 13)  – Theme of Episode V is the “parterre” – that key feature of 15th to 17th European gardens. We take a brief look at its various forms and composition from the early knot gardens of 15th century Italy and 16th century Tudor England – to its ultimate French format and displays at Versailles and Vaux-le-Vicomte. The parterre in mini format is also alive and well in a terrace cottage garden we visit in North Hatley; Pat Webster will have further reflections on the use of natural art in gardens in “Talking Gardens”, and in Ask the Gardener, Robert Leclerc returns with some tips on how to spruce up our current, blooming gardens, so they look almost as good into September.

Episode #VI Tuesday - August 17, (repeated Friday - August 20)  – Theme of Episode VI is how gardens mirror who we are as individuals, how we try to bring childhood memories into the gardens we create as adults, and how we can use memories to create natural art installations in those gardens – all seen through the eyes of Pat Webster - the host of our regular feature - Talking Gardens – as we visit the gardens of Glen Villa in North Hatley - the property she and her husband, Norman purchased in the late 1990’s. On Ask the Gardener, we talk to a local gardener and long-time resident of Knowlton/Brome Lake about the impact of climate change on gardening styles, about the benefits of perennial plantings, and about an innovative gardening project she spearheaded at a local school to teach sustainability.

Episode #VII – September 7 -The theme of this final episode of - The Art of Gardening – summer series focuses on both the aesthetic and innovative perspectives of gardens referred to in the opening episode on June 8. The garden we visit in East Bolton represents the work of two truely “pioneering” gardeners – who created a series of linked garden “rooms”, waterfalls and footpaths over a 40 years period out of a densely wooded mountainous area . Pat Webster joins us with a final version of Talking Gardens, and in Ask the Gardener, a young Sutton florist talks about how she applies sustainability to the cultivation of the quite beautiful range of cut flowers she also sells at the weekly Sutton Flea Market.